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Cell Cycle, Cell Death, and Senescence

Down-Regulation of Class II Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Expression below a Critical Threshold Induces Apoptotic Cell Death

¹ Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Developmental and Molecular Pathways; ² Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Oncology, Cambridge, Massachusetts and ³ Laboratory of Systems Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Requests for reprints: Jeffrey P. MacKeigan, Laboratory of Systems Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, 333 Bostwick Aveneu NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Phone: 616-234-5682; Fax: 616-234-5733. E-mail: jeff.mackeigan{at}vai.org

Members of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) family collectively control multiple cellular responses, including proliferation, growth, chemotaxis, and survival. These diverse effects can partly be attributed to the broad range of downstream effectors being regulated by the products of these lipid kinases, the 3'-phosphoinositides. However, an additional layer of complexity is introduced by the existence of multiple PI3K enzyme isoforms. Much has been learned over the last years on the roles of the classes I and III PI3K members in cellular signaling, but little is known about the isoform-specific tasks done by the class II PI3Ks (C2, β, and ). In this study, we used quantitative reverse transcription–PCR and RNA interference in mammalian cells to gain further insight into the function of these lesser studied PI3K enzymes. We find that PI3K-C2, but not PI3K-C2β, has an important role in controlling cell survival and by using a panel of RNA interference reagents, we were able to determine a critical threshold of PI3K-C2 mRNA levels, below which the apoptotic program is switched on, via the intrinsic cell death pathway. In addition, knockdown of PI3K-C2 to levels that by themselves do not induce apoptosis sensitize cells to the anticancer agent Taxol (paclitaxel). Lastly, we report that lowering the levels of PI3K-C2 in a number of cancer cell lines reduces their proliferation and cell viability, arguing that PI3K inhibitors targeting not only the class I isoform but also class II may contribute to an effective anticancer strategy. (Mol Cancer Res 2008;6(4):614–23)